Annotator



A. B. CHURCH AND I. P. WARREN.

ANNOTATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3. |919.

www@ I Patented May II, A921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

@inea I? Warren A. B CHURCH AND J. P. WARREN.

ANNoAToR.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAY I3. 12H9.

L8?7?49 Y Patented May Mg 19211.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTORS UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

n ALBERT B. CHURCH AND JAMES JP. WARREN, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALEFORNIA.

ANNOTATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 10, 1921..

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, ALBERT B. CHURCH i and JAMES l?. WARREN, citizens of the lUnited States, residing at the city and county of San 'Francisco and State of Caliornia, have invented new and useful llmprovements in Annotators, of which the following is a specification.

'llhis invention relates to an attachment yfor commercial phonographs and particu larly pertains to that class of device shown in Patent No. 1,216,232, entitled Annota tors for commercial phonographs and on which this is an improvement.

llt is' the principal object of the present invention to provide a device adapted to be mounted upon the body portion of a commercial phonograph and which comprises a iixed tray member and a movable marking member, the tray member adapted to receive a memoranda sheet, while the marking member is adapted to mark certain characteristic indicating marks inl corresponding positions upon the memoranda' sheet, the present invention being particularly concerned with means for readily and clearlye markn ing upon the memoranda sheet any of the desired indicating marks and of controlling the back spacing of the indicator member when desired, all of which is brought about by very simple mechanism which may be conveniently installed and may be easily operated without discommoding the dictator.

The .present invention contemplates the use of a rack carryin a tray and which is secured to the base o a commercial phonograph, and over which a marking head is adapted to be moved as the reproducer head fst' travels along the cylinder, said marking head being provided with a plurality ot plungers which carry separate letters adapted to be impressed upon a memoranda sheet carried in the tray.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation,

showing the upper portion of a commercial phonograph and the present invention at ltached thereto.

F ig. 2 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation showing the construction of the back of the tray, the member engaging the reproducer head and the brackets by. which it is secured to the tray body. a

. Fig. 3 is a view in rear'elevation showing the marking head and the manner in which a ribbon is secured therebeneath for inking purposes. f Fig. 4: is a view in end elevation showing the commercial phonograph and particularly disclosing the relation of the annota@ tor attachment thereto.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing the marking head and the ribbon supported therebeneath. i

`Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in section and elevation showing one of the keys ot the marking head and the manner in which the type is arranged in alinement, while the keys are staggered upon the key-board.

eferring to the drawings, 10 indicates the base portion of a commercial phonograph upon which are disposed upright standards. 11 and 12. @ne of these standards forms a bearing for a driving shaft 13 upon which is mounted a cylinder mandrel 14:. This mandrel extends horizontally between the two uprights 11 and 12 and is adapted to receive cylindrical phonographic records. The standards 11 and 12 are connected at their upper and forward edges by means of a scale 15 which is uniformly graduated throughout its length and bears a deiinite relation to the phonographic records so that the entire length of record will be divided into minute divisions for convenience in reference work. The standards 11 and 12 also carry a side shaft 15 upon which a reproducer head 16 is adapted to slide. rlFhis head is designed to carry a phonographic diaphragm which is suspende ed over the phonographic record and be adjustedto either cut the record or to reproduce the sound waves out thereon. rlhe reproducer head is adapted to be moved along the side shaft 15 by means of a suitable screw feeding member. Formed as a part of the reproducer head is a forward land upwardly extending tube 17 carrying a flexible speaking tube (not shown in the drawings and throu h which the sound is transmitted Vto the dlaphragm). lt will be understood that the foregoing description applies to phonogra hs of common commercial use and that t e present invention is more particularly concerned with an annof is formed with a fiat body portion and has an upstanding ledge 22'around both ends and across the lower edge. This ledge is provided to act as a retainer for a pad of memoranda slips 23 upon which suitable inscriptions ma be made as the phonograph operates. ecured between Ithe upper edges of the end ledges 22 is a guide shaft 24. This shaft extends the full length of the tray and is provided to guide the movement of the movable unit 19. By reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen that a clamping bracket 24 is formed at each end of the tray and secured to the back thereof. This bracket comprises a pair of semi-rigid fingers which are clamped together by set screw 25 and which will grip the opposite faces of the body plate of the phonograph so that the tray will be rigidly heldin relation to the movable element.

The movable unit of the phonograph attachment comprises a single plate 26 formed with a plurality of guide sleeves 27. These sleeves are clearly shown in Fig. 6, and are there seen to accommodate expansion springs 28 and plunger 29. The plunger 29 reciprocates through the center of the sleeve 27, as pressure is exerted upon button 30. The opposite ends of the plunger are -itted with oli'set shoulders 31 which carry one or more type, as indicated at 32. By reference to Fig. l, it` will be seen that the several sleeves 27 are staggered in relation to eachother and thus allow the keys to be very compactly arranged, so that the keys will be held in equal spaced relation over the top of the memoranda sheet, as shown in Fig. 5. It will also be understood that the shoulders 31 are alternately offset so that the type 32 will be in alinement and will stand along the center of the plate 26, thus making it possible for a character to be inscribed in each of the spaces on the memoranda sheet and in vertical alinement thereacross. Y

As before-stated, the movable element-19 is mounted upon a shaft 24 and is there slidably supported by means of a bearing portion 34. This bearing portion is clearly shown in Fig. 5 as belng formed as a continuation of the fiat plate 26 and of extending rearwardly and around the yshaft 24. The opposite end of the plate 26 is formed with a downwardly and inturned portion 35 adapted to constantly rest upon the lower ledge of the tray and thus be slidably supported therealong. Formed from the bearing portion 34 of the plate are ears 37 which extend upwardly and' parallel to the main body portion 26. These ears are separated by a slot 38 which engages a traveling iinger 39. The finger 39 is a part of a clamping ring 40, secured around the cylindrical tube portion 17 of the reproducer head, and by which means the movable element 19 is moved along the guide shaft 24 and over the tray 18 when the reproducer head is in motion.

In order that the type 32 may be inked inV a convenient manner, a two-ply type ribbon 41 is provided. This ribbon is formed as an endless band and is adapted to be slipped over parallel supporting members 42 and 43 which are formed as a part of the body plate 26. The manner in which this ribbon is supported is clearly shown in Fig. 3. It'

' finger 39 with the slot 38 between the ears 37. This also allows the memoranda sheet to be readily removed.

In using commercial phonographs, it has been found desirable to leave a margin at the left-hand end of the cylinder so that additional notes or instructions may be added to the cylinder as the ldictation progresses. In order that a suitable length of cylinder may be thus reserved, a spacing spring 43 is secured to the left-hand end of the tray and across the back thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This finger extends outwardly and is of a width to correspond in the present instance to live graduations on the scale 15. This finger is fittedv with a key 44 which may be depressed and which will swing the finger away from the guide rodl 24 and permit the bearing portion of the movable unit l19 to travel along the Arod 24 until it strikes the end of ledge 23. This will dispose the reproducer needle at'the extreme left-end of the record and will allow these additional notations to be made. When the marking device is, however, moved back to its original position the. spring finger will move against the rod 24 and again automatically space the marker.

It will be evident that memoranda slips of any desired design might be used, but it has been found by practice that a memoranda sliphaving fixed longitudinal Spaces therealong. is best suited for the ordinary requlreifrents. The upper space'is designed to receive the letter L from one'of the type carried by the plunger of the key L letter W which indicates that a wire-is dictated from that point, the next space by the letter R which indicates a postscript, while the lower line is marked with the letter X, indicating extra copy. The key 44 is marked with the letters M. R. to indicate a margin release.

In operation of the present invention, the tray vis locked upon the base plate of a commercial phonograph by means of the fastening bracket 24 and at the same' time, the clamping ring 40, with its linger 39, is secured around the tubular portion of the reproducing head. The linger 39 andthe slot 38 of the margin head are then brought to register and the machine is ready for operation. As the dictation proceeds the reproducing head will move the length of the record cylinder and will carry the movable unit 19 of the attachment. When a letter has been concluded, the button, or key, L, is depressed and will thus act to stamp the letter L in the column provided for that purpose. ln the event that corrections are to be made, the letter C may be placed at that point, and will call the transcribing operators attention to the correction. The other keys may be used as the case requires and as the dictation progresses. The result will be obvious, and it will be understood that, after the record has been dictated, the memoranda slip may be removed from the pad and sent to the transcriber for guidance in the process of typing or writing from the dictation recorded on said cylinder.

lt will be evident from reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings that finger 39 registers with the slot 38, in such a manner that the marking member may swing upwardly without becoming disengaged from the linger 39, thus making it possible to swing the marking element upwardly to remove the memoranda sheet and thereafter swing it back into its operative position without changing its position in relation to the traveling element on the phonograph.

It will thus be evident that with the use of the present device a very simple and inexpensivel annotator for commercial phonographs is provided which will operate in a direct and simple way to provide an accurate record of the character of the dictation upon a cylinder and give adequate instructions for the final transcription of the work on the cylinder.

While we have shown the preferred form of our invention, as now known to us, it will be understood that various changes in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is;

disengagement therefrom, and may move horizontally while in engagement therewith.

2. An attachment for a commercial phonograph comprising alixed tray in relationi to vertically in relation to the nger without the phonograph, a shaft mounted longitudinallyon said tray, a marking head slidably mounted thereon, a plurality of depressible type keys carried upon said marking head, a slotted extension member formed at the upper end of said head, and a linger secured to the traveling element of the phonograph and normally engaging in said slot for producing 'movement of the marking head in relation to the tray, said'linger being adapted to permit the marking head to be swung upwardly and about the shaft upon which it is mounted without disengagement therewith. f

3. ln a device of the character described, a lixed tray having a ledge around three sides thereof to retain a pad of memoranda sheets thereon, a uide bar secured between the end ledges or said tray and extending along the upper edge thereof, a marking head slidably mounted upon said bar and adapted to move across the tray, the lower end of said marking head being slidably supported upon the ledge of the tray, a plurality of depressible keys carried on said marking head and a receiving pad carried by the marking head, a slotted extension member formed at the upper end of said head, and a linger secured to the traveling element of the phonograph and normally engaging in said slot for producing movement of the marking head in relation to the ltray, said linger'being adapted to permit the marking head toj be swung upwardlyand downwardly and about the shaft upon which* iti1 mounted without disengagement therewlt 4. An annotator for a commercial phonograph comprising a tray adapted to be de'- tachably fixed to the base portiomof the phonograph, a guide shaft secured alongthe out disengagement with the slot in which it is dis Used. y

5. n an annotator for commercial phonographs 'havin a horizontal traveling element, a Xe frame, a marking element movable thereon, means for supporting said marking element whereby it may move horizontally and its lower end be free to swing upward and downward in an are, and extension means for the travelin element of the phonograph and marking e ement whereby the marker may be drawn in either direction by the traveling element of the phonograph,

each of said extension means being free with respect to@ each other, and adapted to permit the upward and downward swinging movementdof the marker without being disenga e n testimony whereof, we' have hereunto set ur hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT B. CHURCH. JAMES P. WARREN. Witnesses:

'JOHN H. HERRING,

W. W. HEALEY. 

